Ciulim and Cholent Festival in Lelów

Every August Lelów, in Częstochowa County, celebrates two dishes baked all night: Polish ciulim and Jewish cholent. The Ciulim and Cholent Festival has been held since 2003 and recalls the time when Poles and Jews lived side by side in the little town. The first edition drew about 120 people; today the festival is one of the largest events of its kind in Poland.

History: from a local idea to a festival

The festival was started by the head of Lelów municipality, Jerzy Szydłowski, and Rabbi Simcha Krakowski, who organises Hasidic visits to Lelów. Every year at the turn of January and February Hasidim make a pilgrimage here to the tomb (ohel) of Tzaddik David Biderman, who in the 19th century made Lelów a centre of the Hasidic movement. The festival aims to promote tolerance and a shared memory of both communities. According to the Polish Press Agency, by 2010 up to 5,000 people came, including from Upper Silesia, and since 2013 the event has lasted three days.

Ciulim and cholent

Ciulim is a regional bake: in the evening local cooks mix grated potatoes with pork ribs chopped bones and all, bacon and spices, then bake it overnight in a cast-iron pot in a bread oven until the bones go soft. Lelów ciulim is on the ministry's list of traditional products. Cholent is a Jewish Sabbath stew of meat, beans, onion and barley, put in the oven before sunset on Friday so it can finish cooking without work on the holy day. Both dishes share the ritual of hours-long baking, but they are not the same – comparing them is the heart of the festival.

What happens at the festival

In past editions the programme was split into a Polish day and a Jewish day. The Polish day featured folk ensembles and star concerts; the Jewish day opened with the lighting of a menorah on stage, followed by klezmer bands and winners of a Jewish song contest. There were also Jewish dance workshops, exhibitions and regional treats: goose gizzards stuffed with groats, crayfish, goose lard and Lelów plum brandy.

Tripto tips

The exact dates and programme of the next edition are announced by Lelów municipality and the local cultural centre – check them before you go. Allow at least half a day, as tastings, concerts and workshops are spread across the whole day. While here, see the ohel of Tzaddik Biderman and stroll through the town where both cuisines existed side by side for centuries.